Local Workshop Shows Paths to Smarter Home Energy Use

On the evening of November 25, the Los Alamos Nature Center hosted a community program on Home Energy Management that was also livestreamed for remote viewers. Organized by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, known as PEEC, together with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities, the free session focused on accessible strategies residents can use immediately to monitor and manage energy consumption.

Presenters demonstrated consumer level tools including energy monitoring apps such as Sense, the use of smart plugs, and practical device scheduling strategies. The program also explored more advanced home automation through Home Assistant, featuring a live demonstration of how that system can manage an off grid solar setup. The event took place at 2600 Canyon Road beginning at 7 p.m. Mountain Time, and organizers directed interested residents to peecnature.org/events for registration and additional information.

The evening was led by Gary Goddard, the Los Alamos County Airport Manager, whose background spans architecture, teaching, and building automation work at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Goddard’s experience in high performance buildings, energy conservation, and control system optimization framed the session, and his personal experience living off grid along the Rio Grande added practical perspective to technical material.

For local residents the session connected individual household actions to broader municipal priorities. Energy monitoring and automated scheduling can reduce household energy bills and shift demand away from peak periods, which influences how the Department of Public Utilities plans load management and future infrastructure investments. Increased uptake of distributed solar and automation tools can enhance community resilience during outages and reduce pressure on the grid, topics that shape public expectations and voter scrutiny of utility policies and county decisions.

The event is part of an ongoing collaboration between PEEC and the Department of Public Utilities aimed at empowering residents with tools and knowledge to make energy smart choices at home. Residents who missed the session can find information about future offerings and online resources at peecnature.org/events.